To Be a Writer

This may seem (and sound) strange, but it struck me the other night...I mean, it hit me. It became clear, that I am now an author. I mean, I wrote a book. It was "picked up" by an established publisher, and it was published. It is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and I actually have a publicist working to market it.

OK, I said it may sound strange, especially in the light of the fact that I had already written a book with two coworkers a couple of years (almost to the day) earlier. That was a good book. A very good book. I read it over again from time to time, and I really like the writing. We (Don, Mike, and I) made a really good team.

But, well, the latest work (that's what the publisher's call a book) was done solo. Not that I didn't have a lot of help. My brother, Mac, Danita, Leah, Marin, Don, and Michael all helped. As did my daughter. But, I wrote it on my own. It's my book. Wow. I actually am a published author.

So I updated my LinkedIN profile. I added "author." I also updated my resume - not just listing the books under "publications" but I also added the job title of "author."

I look back and realize I'm not sure how I actually got it done. How did I manage the time?

So, now the next question is..."what's next?" I want to write another book...this time a novel. I also want to "get back" to my artwork. My daughter continues to impress and inspire me with her artwork. I want to get my hands back into it. So, I found old artwork, 35mm slides I had taken of my portfolio when I was younger than my daughter...and found the piece I was telling her about on the way home. I had remembered the prose I had added to the unoriginal art I had "created" - the prose I still remembered to this day.

That (the fact that I remembered it) may not seem strange or even interesting...but if you know of my poor memory you would understand why I am impressed that after all of these years, the passage I wrote has stayed with me. What you might not find at all surprising (even if you do know me) is that I remembered it incorrectly.

I was only a little disappointed that I didn't remember it correctly. I say that because I like the incorrect version better than the original. I credit that to my years of experience and improved writing ability. So, my new focus is now on accomplishing one of two things...a series of artwork I have been "planning" for over then years OR a novel. I can rework, rewrite, market, or self-publish the Time Warp King OR I can start (restart) working on my art series.

Or, I can do both.

P.S. I think it unfair that I don't share my prose which I referred to...although I'd really like to share the art also (but it being on a 35mm slide - and my lacking the equipment to scan it to my computer - makes that impossible at this moment).

"And on that day, Man, himself, submerged beneath the waters of his sins, held above the deadly tide, the answers t the world."

Marketing

Having written two (one with my buddies and one solo) books, I’m starting to gain an education I never thought I would. I’m learning the importance of marketing.

Not sales per se. Not advertising. But, marketing. Honestly and enthusiastically communicating an important message to the right people, at the right time.

Marketing, for some reason, has a bad “name.”

But, marketing is essential. It’s critical.

One example is an organization I worked for which went through great pains to improve itself. It had drastically changed for the better over a 10 year span, but it still found itself battling against the past. People who had bad experiences over ten years ago still spoke poorly of our organization. They had been so dissatisfied that they refused to give us another chance. Worse, they continued to detract from the good work the organization had been doing. They told anyone willing to listen how bad we were. This made it difficult to overcome our past and have our customers see us fairly.

The answer wasn’t simply doing better. The solution wasn’t to provide better service. We did that, in buckets. What we needed was a marketing campaign. We needed to clearly, loudly, and consistently communicate our new-and-improved services. We needed to market ourselves and our services to our customers and to potential customers.

“I’m too humble to market myself.” This would make sense if “humility” meant not speaking highly of yourself (or your organization). But humility doesn’t mean being shy or hiding your light under a bushel basket. We are called to share our light, to shine it where others can see it. And we’re also called to be humble. Humility means being totally, fully honest. Not exaggerating the gifts we have nor down-playing them.

Think of marketing as a form of sharing your light.

In the case of our organization, we could have gained a lot of our lost trust and customer base if we marketed our improvements. Of course we would have had to be painfully honest. Not only touting our enhancements, but being honest about our still existing failings.

Marketing is a good thing. If it’s done with humility (honesty), and for the purpose of communicating the truth – not making a sale. Intentions, while good for paving roads, are also good for discerning the difference between marketing and manipulating, between humility and pride.

What do you think?

I'm Baaaaack!

Ok. It's been four months.

But I have a good excuse. Alright, I have an excuse.

I was working hard on my book, Metrics: How To Improve Key Business Results (I didn't pick the title) and Apress published it on Dec 31st. Well, they released it on that date. I finished my initial draft a little ahead of schedule and then spent the last few months checking and double-checking. Answering suggestions, questions, and critiques by the editorial staff.

Yes sirree! My book is out!

Whew! Another goal accomplished (writing a book on my own). Which is a decent (if not obvious) segue to my first post for 2012.

My Goal List

1. Draw "Stations" (art) (Changed from Painting to ink...and still haven't done it.)
2. Help Irv get published (family)
3. Fully Clean my room (family) (including sell all ebay stuff)
   
4. Post in blog weekly (writing)
5. Help Kristopher and Alyssa develop a life plan (strategic plan) (family) (if they agree)
   
6. Visit Family (family) DONE!
7. Visit Benji and Pinky (friends)
8. Get to and maintain 160 lbs max (physical health) (with P90X got there...now have to maintain)
9. Develop a consistent tennis backhand (sports) DONE!
   
10. Compete in a Singles Tennis Tournament (want to hit with pace first - sports)
    
11. Stick to exercise program for 6 consecutive months (physical health) (Did P90X...but need to try a 6mo one))
12. Eat at least 1 piece of fruit daily for 90 consecutive days (physical health) (DONE! -Hit 235 days today!)
13. Pray daily for another 365 consecutive days (spiritual health) DONE!and continuing to do so
    
14. Try Yoga (physical health) DONE! - Took class at ND and it was GREAT!
15. Read the Bible - cover to cover (spiritual health) (will be second time around...)
16. Lower cholesterol within healthy range (physical health) DONE!
17. Get body fat % to healthy range (physical health) DONE!
18. Donate 1 million grains of rice through freerice.com (mental health) (totally lost track and dropped...need to decide if I'll restart)
    
19. Take class on sign language (mental health)
20. Read two books on Albert Einstein - because one just won't be enough (mental health)
21. Read "Numbers" book (mental health) (started, need to finish)
22. Learn to Speed Read (used to be: Try a martial art) (mental health)
23. Learn a full Tai Chi form (physical health)
24. Fast for a week – combined with praying fervently (spiritual health) (Lent 2012 should be a good time)
25. Research (find likely opportunities) for teaching in Michigan (job) (proposed program based on book LMC)
26. Participate in seminar business (job)
27. Get five authors in the fold for K4K Books (project) (at 2)
28. Publish at least 10 standards through CEITPS (project) (at 1)
29. Make St. Mark Youth Group viable - have at least 10 active members (church) DONE!
30. NEW try out Twitter (writing)
31. Mentor / Coach four people (misc) DONE! (and many more)
    
32. Put out a chess club website for Niles Comm Library club (misc)
33. Become a 3 point shooting threat in basketball (sports) DONE!
34. Get published - book (writing) DONE!
35. Get published in a mainstream magazine (writing)
36. Get published for a solo writing effort (writing) DONE!
37. Finish a publishable novel (writing)
38. Research Live Action Role Playing (and if legal / feasible) participate in one (misc)
39. Complete 100/100 club for 100 days (physical health) (done in past, use as part of 6 mo program #11)
40. Take 1,000,000 steps in 100 days (physical health) (Can be part of the 6 mo program, #11)
41. Drink 64 ounces of water daily (for at least one month - Health) (Need to do this!)
42. Donate $1K to St. Mark Youth Group (plan in work - Church) DONE!
43. See a 3D movie (maybe at IMAX - Misc)
44. Publish the Niles Chess Club Newsletter (monthly for the school year - misc) (Too late to get a full year)
45. Get and keep Inbox @ Zero for 3 months (at least once each week - job) (may have achieved but didn't track...so...)
46. Overcome anger - specifically during basketball (mental health) DONE! - still have to work at it though...it's not easy
    
47. Learn to sing (misc)
48. Use water pick or floss daily (90 days - physical health) (Longest streak was 33 days)
49. Build complete Simon-Says comedy routine (misc)
50. Develop financial retirement plan (family)

So, a lot to accomplish...And I promise to get back to writing this blog weekly!